Cuba

An island located between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, 150 km (90 miles) south of Key West, Florida. It is the largest country in the Caribbean, and the westernmost island of the Greater Antilles. A former Spanish colony, Cuba achieved independence in 1898. A revolution in 1959 resulted in a socialist republic led by Fidel Castro. Natural resources include metal ores, arable land, and a favorable position for tourism and maritime trade.